Bookpleasures.com welcomesas our guest Kenneth W. Harmon, author of In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow.  Kenneth lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife and daughters. He is the award-winning author of four novels, he is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Japan-America Society of Colorado, and Historical Writers of America

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Norm: Good day Kenneth and thanks for participating in our interview.

How did you get started in writing?  Was writing always a career move for you or did it grow into one? Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?  What keeps you going?




Kenneth: Good day, Norm. Thank you for asking me to take part in your author interviews. I have wanted to be a writer since I was eleven years old. Of course, to become a professional author takes time. I wrote several unpublished novels before I enjoyed success.

As far as having a theme, message, or goal for my books, well, I would say that depends on the subject matter of the book.

For In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow, I wanted to examine the atomic bombing of Hiroshima through the eyes of an American airman who is on the ground to witness the event. To be historically accurate, I had to introduce elements of the supernatural, and make my protagonist, Micah, a ghost.

There are no documented cases of Japanese civilians assisting downed American airmen.

The novel also features elements of magical realism. I knew from watching numerous documentaries about the bombing raids conducted on Japan during World War II that some American airmen were left emotionally scarred from the experience.

I wondered how an American would feel if he had several months to live among the people of Hiroshima and develop relationships with some of the civilians prior to the bombing. In this case, Kiyomi Oshiro, a twenty-eight-year-old war widow and her young daughter, Ai. The book I am currently working on is set in India and examines the rape culture that plagues the country. 

Norm: What do you consider to be your greatest success (or successes) so far in your career? 

Kenneth: I was thrilled to receive a starred review from Kirkus for In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow. My first book was a horror novel that was long-listed for the Bram Stoker Award. 

Norm: What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today as a writer? 

Kenneth: To become an author who publishers want to invest in requires a lot of time and support. I’m blessed to belong to a strong critique group. 

Norm: What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive? 

Kenneth: Most writers start out with this dream of acquiring an agent for their first book, having that book picked up by a major publisher, and then seeing it on the bestseller lists. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. The most important lesson I learned while becoming a writer is to always want to improve your work.

The work has to be the most important element. I also believe a person should read widely, with an emphasis on books that will inspire you. I recently ordered eleven novels. Each book either won the Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award. I like to be challenged when I read, and I like to challenge myself as a writer by stepping outside my comfort zone. 

Norm: Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two? Please summarize your writing process. 

Kenneth:  It starts with an idea. For In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow, I had a vision of a man falling through the sky. In the case of my India novel, I was walking upstairs one night and suddenly stopped. The entire book came to me in a flash, plot, location, characters.

I then rushed downstairs to write everything down. As far as the writing process, every novel requires something different. My books typically require a great deal of research. There are times I might have over one hundred library books spread out over the floor inside my office. I go through each book, find the information I need, and then make a copy of the page. After completing my plot outline, I spend several days organizing my research, chapter by chapter. It took me about a week to organize my research for the chapter that covers the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. I spend an equal amount of time developing my characters. I wanted my protagonists to have rich backstories. 

Norm: For your writing, does the story come first, or the world it operates in? 

Kenneth: The story and world are usually formed at the same time. A setting can have a major influence on the plot. For example, Japanese mythology and beliefs play a crucial role in the plot of In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow. 

Norm: How did you become involved with the subject or theme of In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow? What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book?

Kenneth: While the atomic bombing of Hiroshima plays a major part in the novel, this book is much more than an atomic bomb novel. There have been numerous novels that deal with the bombing. At its core, In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow is a love story. A writer friend called the novel a tale about love in its most extraordinary forms—forgiveness, sacrifice, and perseverance against impossible odds. 

Norm: How much research went into the writing of the novel and how long did it take you to write it?

Kenneth: I compiled over 9,000 pages of research for In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow. The book had to be authentic and respectful of Japanese culture. I spent a week identifying the buildings in Hiroshima that existed at the time of the bombing by using a map labeled in Japanese. I read diaries written by Japanese people who lived in Hiroshima to gain an insight into their thoughts about the war and to understand how they went about their daily lives. 

Norm: What was the most difficult part in writing the book?

Kenneth:  When I started In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow, my father was in the hospital. I would drop my girls off at school and then go straight to my father’s hospital room. As he slept, I worked on the novel. After two months, he was able to regain enough strength to make it back home but passed away soon after. The stress of watching him suffer made writing the novel difficult. 

Norm: How did you go about creating the characters of Micah Lund and Kiyomi Oshiro?

Kenneth: For Micah, I didn’t want to create the stereotypical American flyer. Instead, I made Micah someone who has never had success with women due to his crippling shyness. At the same time, he has a strong love for his country and his family. The death of his older brother Levi, on Guadalcanal, followed soon after by the death of his mother, has made him bitter toward the Japanese people. 

In my mind, I envisioned Kiyomi as a strong-willed, intelligent woman who has suffered her share of tragedy. I did not want Kiyomi to be the stereotypical Asian woman. My wife, Monika, is Chinese, and having been married to her for almost twenty years has given me some insight into how an Asian woman thinks and behaves. Of course, a Japanese woman during World War II would have different beliefs and behaviors, but it was important to me not to make Kiyomi a “Madame Butterfly” type character. I wanted her to be the hero of her own story. Kiyomi’s parents and siblings died in the Great Tokyo Earthquake of 1923. Kiyomi has given up on finding true love, and instead, pours her heart and soul into keeping her young daughter, Ai, alive. The mother and daughter relationship drives much of the narrative. 

Norm: What has your other work taught you that you have been able to apply to In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow?

Kenneth: You have to create characters that come alive for your reader. You have to make them interesting and give the reader a reason to feel invested in their story. The reader needs to care what happens to them. 

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and your work?

Kenneth: I have a WEBSITE My contact information is listed on the website.  

Norm: What is next for Kenneth W. Harmon:

Kenneth: I am working on my India novel. When it is finished, I will get started on doing research for my next novel, which deals with gun violence in America. 

Norm: As this interview comes to an end, what question do you wish that someone would ask about your book, but nobody has? 

Kenneth: I wish that someone would ask, “What have you learned from writing In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow?” My answer would be: most wars are preventable if people find the courage to voice their opposition.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.

Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of In The Realm of Ash and Sorrow